51����

After Friday’s classes, students walked back to their residence halls to change for the last recreation session of the New England High School Summer Program. Many made their way down to the athletic center for games and swimming, while others returned to their rooms to relax, pack, or get ready for the evening’s formal banquet. In Gould Hall, the women enjoyed a spa day, hurrying about with curling irons and nail polish, chatting and playing music while they got ready for the evening.

Finally, prefects, programmers, and tutors met in the dining hall for the formal banquet. Everyone was dressed in their best, and the tables were laid with fine glassware and linens in the College colors. Fr. Moses said grace, then all settled down to salmon, risotto, and asparagus. As the room delighted in cheesecake after the meal, Program Director Dr. Paul Shields rose to give an address. He thanked the students for their dedication, emphasizing the importance and purpose of the education at 51����. The Summer Program, Dr. Shields explained, is “the beginning of a beginning,” as students get a taste of the quest for truth and the good life. 

Following Dr. Shields’ speech, Director of Admissions John Jost offered his own brief remarks, thanking the students, the prefects, the Admissions and AV teams, and the kitchen staff for all their work. Both addresses were greeted with loud applause, and the meal came to an end so that students could leave to pray their final Rosary together in Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel.

The dance followed, and students were surprised to find that St. Frassati Student Center was transformed with colored lights, streamers, and a giant gauze canopy. The night began with entertainment as the male prefects put on the Summer Program’s classic skit, Doctor! Doctor! — met with shouting and laughter, exploding into emphatic applause at the close. Next, Peter U. played some beautiful selections on his clarinet, followed by a performance from an impromptu band featuring Thomas K., Veronica M., Cosmas F., and prefects Sophia Forrester (’29) and Vinny Buelk (’28). Couples then took to the floor, and the night of dancing began.

Students enjoyed swing dancing, line dancing, and called dances such as the snowball well into the night, stopping only to chat over the charcuterie boards or to step outside in the cool evening air. Finally, near midnight, the dance came to an end. Prefects and programmers headed down to Dolben Auditorium to watch a Summer Program slideshow, featuring a wonderful compilation of photos and videos from the past two weeks, eliciting much cheering and joy. 

At last, it was time to head back to the residence halls and pack up for the next day’s travels. The gentlemen escorted the ladies back to Gould Hall, and all lingered outside for 45 minutes or so, making their rounds of goodbyes before calling it a night. 

Today marks the final farewell for the Summer Program. Check the blog later for all the farewell photos!

More photos from the High School Summer Program

Tap on the right center edge of the image to scroll through the album.